How Does The Maine School Bus Purchase ProgramWork? · –“Bus Replacement” (end of life) (A)...

How Does The Maine

School Bus Purchase Program Work?

August 29, 2016

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the Maine school bus purchase program

• What does the program data look like?

• How are districts put on a list to be considered for a bus purchase?

• How are bus approval decisions made?

This program supports the Maine DOE Strategic Plan core priority 5: coordinated and effective state support.

Maine School Bus Purchase Program

Program Purpose

• The purpose of the Maine School Bus Purchase Program is to achieve the most equitable distribution of limited dollars to maintain a modern safe fleet of school buses and respond to unique and emergency bus needs

Source: 05-071 Chapter 81 §81.1

Note: Districts are responsible for school bus maintenance.

Program Data

– Applications and Approvals

10190

144

9891

229

146

206

106

262

0

50

100

150

200

250

300FY

98

FY99

FY00

FY01

FY02

FY03

FY04

FY05

FY06

FY07

FY08

FY09

FY10

FY11

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

Approvals RequestsNote: FY03-FY05 includes federal funds

Source: EF-T-17

Program Data

– Dollars

$5

$11$9 $9 $9 $8 $8

$12$12

$9$13

$16

$21$23

$0

$5

$10

$15

$20

$25

FY98

FY99

FY00

FY01

FY02

FY03

FY04

FY05

FY06

FY07

FY08

FY09

FY10

FY11

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

Millio

n D

olla

rs

Program Dollars Available vs. Bus Request Dollars

Program $ Request $

Source: EF-T-17

NOTE: FY03 – FY05 includes federal funds

Program Cycle

– 3 Stages and 5 Steps Per Cycle

• Stage I

– 1. Application Nov. 1 – Nov. 25 (EF-T-17)

– 2. Approval (Dec. 30 to Jan. 15)

• Stage II

– 3. Purchase (EF-T-20)or cancel a bus (EFT-20A)

– 4. Transportation reports

• Stage III

– 5. Subsidy begins (ED 279)

Title 20-A §540105-071 Chapter 81

Program Cycle (cont.)

– 3 Stages and 5 Steps Over 3 Years

1. Apply

2. Approve

3. Purchase

4. Report

5. Subsidy

Stage I – FY17 Stage II – FY18 Stage III – FY19

EFT-17

EFT-24

EFT-21 ED-279EFT-19

EFM-43

EFT-20

Nov. 1-Nov 25 Dec. 30-Jan15 July 1-Oct 15

Title 20-A §5401Rule chapter 81

Program Cycle (cont.)

– Different Stages Occur Each FY

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20

Stage II Stage III

Stage I Stage II Stage III





Stage I Stage IICycle FY19

Cycle FY17

Cycle FY18

05-071 Chapter 81

Types of Program Applications

– Two (2) Types

• 1. “Bus replacement” application

– Replace an existing bus lost due to emergency

– Replace an existing bus near the end of useful life

– Add a new bus to the district fleet and remove the existing bus from service (sale or parts)

• 2. “Addition to fleet” application

– Respond to unique district situations

– Add a new bus to the district fleet without taking an existing bus out of service

05-071 Chapter 81

Minimum Program Qualifications

– “Bus Replacement” (end of life) (A)

• Vans

– Shall have seven (7) years useful life and

accumulated 100,000 miles

• Type C school buses

– Shall have ten (10) years useful life and


• Type D school buses

– Shall have fifteen (15) years useful life and


NOTE: qualification is shown in NEO vehicle inventory under “replacement eligibility”

05-071 Chapter 81


– “ Bus Replacement” (emergency) (A)

• A “bus replacement” emergency situation occurs when a bus is damaged beyond economic repair due to:

– Accidents

– Fire

– Vandalism or

– Other [total] losses

05-071 Chapter 81

NOTE: to qualify districts must meet one (1) emergency qualification


– “Addition To Fleet” (unique) (B)

• An “addition to fleet” unique situation occurs when a district needs:

– Buses equipped to transport the handicapped

– Buses to accommodate increased enrollment

– Buses for non-critical special purposes

– Buses to replace contracted services (emergency)

– Buses to replace contracted services (planned)

NOTE: to qualify districts must meet one (1) “addition to fleet” qualification

05-071 Chapter 81

How Are Buses Put On A List To Be Considered

For A Bus Purchase?

• A district must submit an application for a new bus

– School Bus Purchase Request (form EF-T-17)

• “Bus replacement”

• “Addition to fleet”

– The forms are located in NEO Transportation

• Applications are received by the state annually

– Open date: November 1

– Close date: November 25

– Emergency requests are open all year

05-071 Chapter 81

How Are Buses Put On A List To Be Considered

For A Bus Purchase? (cont.)

BA

Source: NEO Transportation

Sample: District Application (EF-T-17)


Retiring Bus

New Bus

Sample: State Approval Notice

B

A


How Are Bus Approval Decisions Made?

– First (1st) Priority

• “Bus Replacement”

– Emergency situation

• An emergency situation occurs when a bus is damaged beyond economic repair due to:

– accidents

– fire

– vandalism or

– other [total] losses



– Second (2nd) Priority

• “Addition to Fleet”

– Unique situation

• An “addition to fleet” situation occurs when a district needs buses to:

– Transport handicapped students

– Transport for a special purpose

– Transport increased enrollment students

– Replace contracted services (emergency)

– Replace contracted services (planned)



– Third (3rd) Priority

• “Bus Replacement”

– Age of the retiring bus

• “Age as the primary consideration, tempered by both high and low mileage”


Program Data

– Age Range of Approved Buses*

28

24

21

16 17 16

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

FY15 FY16 FY17

Bu

s A

ge

Oldest Youngest

Source: EF-T-17

* Round 1; excludes unique and emergency requests

Program Data

– Average Miles When School Bus Is Retired

-

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

FY98

FY99

FY00

FY01

FY02

FY03

FY04

FY05

FY06

FY07

FY08

FY09

FY10

FY11

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

Mile

s Pe

r B

us

Type C bus minimum retirement 125K miles

Source: EF-T-17

Program Data

– Budget

$0

$1

$2

$3

$4

$5

$6

$7

$8

$9

FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17

Bu

dg

et

-M

illio

n D

olla

rs

Available $ Prior Term $

$8.50M$8.05M $8.05M $8.05M $8.05M $8.05M

3.3M3.3M 3.9M 4.6M 4.8M 4.5M

5.2M 4.8M 4.2M 3.5M 3.3M 3.5M

Source: School Finance Data

Program Application Rounds

• Round 1

– Occurs annually

– Applications opens Nov. 1 and closes Nov. 25

– Approvals announced Dec. 30 to Jan. 15

• Round 2

– Depends on cancellations, may or may not occur

– Opens after Round 1 approval announcement

• All applications that did not make Round 1 approval are automatically moved to Round 2

– No specific approval date (March to Oct.)

05-071 Chapter 81

Program Subsidy Reminder

• Subsidy Amount

– ED 279 report, section 3 A, other allocations

– Contact Maine DOE school finance

• Delayed district reports effect subsidy (ED 279)

– Bus cancellation report (EF-T-19)

• Delayed cancellation reports prevent redistribution of bus money to other districts

– Bus purchase report (EF-T-20)

• Delayed reports lead to withheld subsidy

• Timely transportation reports are important

Title 20-A §6801-A §§2

Program Subsidy Reminder (cont.)

• Statutory Authority

– “Authority to withhold state subsidy until reports are received. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, if a school administrative unit has failed to file the reports by this Title in the format and within the time periods specified, the Commissioner may withhold state subsidy payments until these reports are received.”

Title 20-A §6801-A §§2

The Future of School Transportation

Source: Thomas Build Buses, Inc.

Thank you for your interest in school transportation and your commitment to safety and security.

Contact Information

Pat HinckleyTransportation and Facilities Administrator

Email:[email protected]

Telephone: 207-624-6886

Website for School Transportation:http://www.maine.gov/doe/transportation/

Abstract

Safety is priority one when transporting students. This clinic will focus on the Maine School Bus Purchase Program that is designed to help school districts replace the aging fleet. Participants will learn the program purpose, qualifications, and process while exploring how buses are put on the list and how decisions are made. This clinic will include historic data on program funding, applications, and approvals.

How Does The Maine School Bus Purchase ProgramWork? · –“Bus Replacement” (end of life) (A)...

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